Clothes-line.



J. M. PETERMAN. CLOTHES LINE;

APPLICATION FILED JULY a, 1908.

922,032. Patented May 18, 1909.

' witness 42 Jacob M. Peterman I I J f. (3. 60mm -fi/WW m3 I rte.

JACOB M. PETERMAN, OF NEW MARKET, IOWA.

CLOTHES-LINE.

Application filed July 3, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, Jae on PETERMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at New arkct, in the county of Taylor, State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful improvements in Clothes-Lines; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention,

I such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make and use the same.

This invention relates to clothes lines of the form wherein the clothesline is endless and conducted over guide pulleys, and has for one of itsobjects to simplify and improve the construction and increase theefficiency and utility of devices of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simply constructeddevice of this character wherein the carrier pulleys may be raised andlowered to dispose the line at a greater or lesser distance from theground.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in postsspaced apart at the ends of the area occupied by the line, each providedwith a vertical slot, a pulley carrying device movable in each slot,clamping means whereby the pulleys may be supported at any desired pointin the slots, an endless clothes line operating over the pulleys, anintermediate supporting device for maintaining the tension of the line,and a line operating means connected to one o the posts.

The invention further consists in certain novel features of constructionas hereafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out inthe claim, and in the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment ofthe invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved device. Fig.2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. .Fig. 3 is a section on theline 3 3 of Fig. 1.

The improved device comprises two posts 10-11 located at opposite sidesof the yard or other locality where the line is to be erected andoperated, and may be of any required size, of any required height, andspaced at any distance apart according to the area which is available.The post 10 is provided at its upper end with a longitudinal slot 12,while the post 11 is provided with a similar slot 13.

Mounted for movement vertically in the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1909.

Serial N0. 441,809.

slot 12 is a member 14: having a clamp bolt 15 whereby it may be clampedat any desired point in the slot. The member 15 is provided with athimble 16 carrying a pulley 17 having a grooved periphery to carry theendless clothes line represented at 18, the thimble likewise carrying asprocket wheel 19. By this means the thimble may be clamped at anydesired point upon the post within the range of the slot 12 and thuslocate the pulley 17 at any desired point above the ground representedat 20.

Attached to the post 10 relatively near the ground is a bracket 21having a vertical slot 22 at its outer end corresponding to the slot 12of the post 10, and mounted. for vertical movement in this slot 22 is ablock 23 from which a bearing extends to receive the hub of a sprocketwheel 24:, and extending through this block and its bearing is a clampbolt 4-7 having a head on its inner end eX- tending over the inner facesof the bracket 21 and with a clamp nut 25 at its outer end. The hub ofthe wheel 2 1 is provided with an operating crank 42. By this means theblock 23 and its bearing may be clamped to the bracket 21 at any desiredpoint within the range of the slot 22, and thus cause the chainrepresented at 26 to operate over the chain wheels 192 t-. By thisarrangement the wheels 17-19 may be adjusted correspondingly with thewheel 2 so as to maintain the chain 26 at a uniform tension or toincrease the tension by moving one of the pulleys to a greater extentthan the other.

Mounted for vertical movement in the slot 13 is a member 27 having asleeve 28 carry ing a pulley 29 having a grooved rim, a clamp bolt 80passing through the member 27 and enabling the latter to be firmlyclamped at any desired point in the slot, so that the pulley 29 may beadjusted vertically relative to the post, as will be obvious. Theendless line 18 passes around the two pulleys 1729 as shown.

Supported centrally of the endless line 18 is a carrier pulley or sheave31, the carrier sheave supported by a cable 32 passing over a guidesheave 33 supported from a frame 34:, the latter rising from the ground20 and provided with a bracket 35 carrying a winding Windlass 36, thelatter provided with an operating crank 37, and a ratchet Wheel 38 withwhich a pawl 39 engages. By this simple means the rotation of the crank37 will elevate the carrier sheave 31 and thus maintain the belt inproper strained position to keep it taut as will be obvious.

Connected to the post 10 is a platform 40 on which the laundress standswhile attaching the clothes to the line, and previous to doing this workthe pulleys 17-29 are lowered to bring the lower portion of the endlessline in the proper location relative to the person standing upon theplatform. The laundress then suspends the clothes from the portion ofthe line within reach and then rotates the crank 42 to move the linealong for another portion and then fills this new 3; portion with theclothes and so on until the clothes already on the line reach nearly tothe post 11. To prevent the undue movement of the line and injury to theclothes a stop 43 is connected to the line 18 against which the firstgarment placed upon the line engages and thus notifies the operator thatthe line is full.

The device is simple in construction, can be inexpensively manufactured,and erected at any required point and adapted to the sizes of' thelocality or space in which it is to be erected.

By employing the suspension device 31 lines of almost any length may beemployed as will be obvious.

lVhat claimed, is

In a device of the class described, two posts spaced apart and providedwith longitudinal slots, clothes line guide pulleys adjustably mountedin said slots, means for clamping said guide pulleys in said slots, anendless clothes line engaging said pulleys, a suspension deviceintermediate the pulleys and operating beneath the upper portion of theendless line, means for adjusting said suspension device vertically, abracket carried by one of said posts and provided with a vertical slot,a sprocket wheel mounted adjustably in the slot of said bracket, asprocket wheel mounted for adjustment with one of said line guidepulleys, and an end less chain operating over said sprocket wheels. V

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature,

in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB M. PETERMAN. Witnesses: V

H. E. TOMLINSON,

T. J. SNoDeRAss.

